


Hesitation

by ShawnaCanon



Series: Baby Boom [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arranged Marriage, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:08:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27255448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShawnaCanon/pseuds/ShawnaCanon
Summary: Kagami has trouble deciding how she feels about her new husband.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Kagami Tsurugi, Kagami Tsurugi/Original Male Character
Series: Baby Boom [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1982216
Comments: 13
Kudos: 124





	Hesitation

**Author's Note:**

> LJF asked for more about Kagami and her husband and baby. Not much of her baby in this one, but I hope you like it anyway.  
> This probably isn't going to make much sense if you haven't read my fic "Baby Boom".

In the end, it wasn’t one thing that would make Kagami Kasahara fall in love with her husband. It was lots of little things, a bombardment of small thrills all coming at her when she wasn’t expecting them.

The way he got up from bed in the middle of the night before she had a chance to when their son cried, slipping out quietly without realizing she was watching him.

The way his eyes hardened and his grip on her hand or around her waist tightened if he caught another boy’s gaze lingering on her.

The calm, kind way he spoke to their son, even though Shigure was far too young to understand a word he said.

The endless patience he had in cleaning up Shigure’s messes.

The quick, precise strikes of his foil when he and Kagami sparred, and the lithe strength in his movements.

The soft sounds he made when she kissed him, tiny moans that told her he wanted more and made her want it, too.

The grace with which he accepted her answer when she refused to give him more.

Most people who knew her would probably be surprised that she was so sentimental, but Kagami thought of it more as a form of honor. In the context of marriage—or any serious, monogamous relationship—sex was seen as an expression of love. Kissing was socially accepted as an expression of fondness or attraction, and she felt both of those for Kyo, so she had no qualms about going that far with him. But giving her body to her husband before she could give him her heart felt like a type of lying.

“I understand,” Kyo had said when she’d told him. “You know that I’m already in love with you, Kagami, but I had never been in love before all of this happened, so I suppose it was easier for me.”

She didn’t tell this to anyone other than Kyo. Her mother would have berated her for it, castigating her for failing her wifely duties and no doubt warning her that Kyo would cheat on her if she denied him what he was due. The fact that she and Kyo were still only fifteen would not change her mother’s perception of the situation in the slightest.

Months passed, and Kagami’s affection for her husband grew more and more every day, with each small act of love he showed her, with every soft smile and gentle touch. But did she love him yet? She had thought she would know when it happened, but it turned out not to be that simple. She was fond of him, she was attracted to him, and she was happy that she was going to spend her life with him. But how could she know if what she felt was love?

Kagami grew irritated at herself for hesitating. She had never had this problem before. Even with things as strange as emotions, she had always understood and come to a decision quickly. As she tried to sort it out, she grew irritable, and Kyo noticed.

“Will you tell me?” he asked her.

If he’d demanded to know, she would have refused. But he put no pressure on her, only offering an ear. So she told him.

He didn’t have an answer for her. He didn’t even try to convince her that she did love him. He only listened and nodded, his brow creased with thought.

#

It took Kagami several months after giving birth to get back in good enough shape not to embarrass herself at a tournament, but eventually, she did it. She passed the qualifiers easily, shutting down the talentless gossips who’d hoped that she would never come back after her pregnancy. Kyo passed them all, too, and the two of them made it to the finals, where the challengers would come from all over the world.

She was so focused on prepping for her bout, she didn’t notice at first.

The boy she was matched with was good. Not quite as good as Kyo—and not quite as good as her—but he had skill. In fact, there was something almost familiar about the way he fought.

When Kagami scored the winning point and the referee declared her the victor, her opponent laughed and took off his mask.

Kagami’s stomach twisted with sudden nerves, but she allowed none of it to show on her face as she took off her own mask.

“Good match, Kagami,” Adrien said.

“Yes,” she agreed. “Though your footwork is getting sloppy. Have you neglected your practice?”

“I may have missed a _few_ lessons,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you, too.” The bundle of nerves in her stomach had already settled.

As they stepped off the piste, she noticed Kyo watching them from across the gym, ready and waiting for his match. To her surprise, he didn’t appear to be displeased that Adrien was here. True, Kyo’s expressions could be difficult for most people to read at times, but she had learned to read them well enough to know, even from this distance, that he wasn’t upset that she was talking to Adrien. Though he was watching them closely—at least until he was called to his match.

“Is Marinette here?” Kagami asked.

“No,” Adrien said. “She wanted to come, but this is just a quick trip. Father needed to meet in person with some business partners—”

“Including Mother?”

“Yes. And I happened to get in as a last-minute replacement for this tournament. Not that it did me any good. You’re as strong and fast as ever, Kagami.”

She enjoyed his praise. “Will you watch Kyo’s bout with me?”

“Yeah! And I’ll stay to watch the rest of yours, too. If that’s okay.”

“Of course it is,” she said. “I would like that.”

They were so focused on the rest of the tournament that they didn’t speak much of anything else until the day was over and they were getting ready to leave. Kyo was on their way over to meet them when Adrien said softly, “Do you want to, uh, meet up later?”

Her gaze sharpened on him, her heart giving a strange lurch as she puzzled through what he meant.

In a casual motion that the crowd milling around them wouldn’t make anything of, Adrien fiddled with the ring on his right hand. His Miraculous. “We could . . . get some air?”

Understanding settled her, and she nodded.

Then Kyo was there. “Adrien. Hello.”

“Congratulations on winning the tournament!” Adrien told him. “That last bout was thrilling to watch!”

Kyo nodded. “Kagami is an excellent partner,” he said in poorly-pronounced but understandable French. “In fencing and otherwise.”

Kagami felt a tiny amount of warmth come to her cheeks, which only increased at the heated look Kyo gave her.

#

Later that night, Ryuko and Cat Noir stood on top of one of Tokyo’s skyscrapers, looking out over the city.

“It’s beautiful,” Cat Noir said, dropping into a squat on the edge of the roof. “Different from Paris, but lovely in its own way.”

“Yes,” Ryuko agreed. “It is.”

“You must not get out much,” Cat Noir observed. “I haven’t seen any reports online about a superhero in Tokyo.”

Ryuko made a sound of agreement. “I do, but I don’t let myself be seen. Does Ladybug want me to?”

“She hasn’t said anything. I think she’s leaving it up to you. I’m sure she’ll let you know if she wants you to do anything different.” Cat Noir looked up at her, his green eyes so different than the ones she’d fallen in love with two years ago, their beauty wild and strange. A part of her was still jealous of Marinette—but Ryuko was surprised at how small that part was. It was almost not even jealousy, only a sort of . . . wistful curiosity about what might have been. “Does Kyo know about this?” Cat Noir asked.

“I have not told him,” Ryuko answered, continuing before Cat Noir could respond. “But I believe he knows.” It was nothing concrete. Kyo hadn’t actually said anything. But once, after she’d been out, there had been a few rumors in the neighborhood, and Kyo had looked at her strangely over dinner. Another time after that, he’d caught her coming back suspiciously and had pretended not to. And tonight, she was certain that she’d felt his eyes on her as she’d left their bedroom, though when she’d turned to check, he’d pretended to be asleep.

Cat Noir hummed. “That’s probably good, if he does. Don’t let him think you’re sneaking around on him, though. If it comes down to it, I’m sure Ladybug would want you to tell him the truth rather than keep the secret and ruin your marriage.”

“Understood,” she said. Ryuko had already decided to do that anyway. But she suspected that Kyo would not force her hand. If he did know, pretending not to was his way of supporting her—both her superhero calling and her need to keep it secret.

“Do you love him yet?” Cat Noir asked, startling her out of her thoughts.

Ryuko looked at him, not giving him an answer right away, then sat down beside him. “I’m . . . not sure. I hate that I’m not sure.”

Cat Noir smiled. “Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

She nodded.

“Is your heart beating fast right now?”

“Not particularly.”

“And what were you thinking about just now, when you were staring off into space?”

“I was thinking . . . about Kyo.”

He leaned closer to her. “I want you to focus on your feelings right now. Look inside yourself and listen to what your heart is saying. And listen to what it says . . . when I ask you if you’d like to kiss me.”

Shock jolted through her, and confusion, and . . .

Those feelings passed quickly. She understood in moments what he was doing. He was too loyal to Marinette for it to be a real offer, which meant it was only a test.

Ryuko nodded and turned her gaze toward the city. “No,” she told him. “My heart says no.”

He grinned.

She slid a look to him. “Why are you here in Tokyo, Adrien?”

His smile was teasing now, like a kid playing a trick. “Everything I told you was true. But . . . it wasn’t the whole truth.” She stared at him until he continued. “Kyo asked me to come and arranged the tournament spot for me.”

A huff whooshed out of Ryuko, and she found herself smiling. “He wanted to help me get my answer.”

“And do you have it now?” Cat Noir asked.

Ryuko stood up. “Yes. Good night, Cat Noir.” She left her friend—and only her friend—waving behind her as she leapt from the building.

#

Kagami entered her home as silently as she could, checked the nursery to see that Shigure was sleeping and to tell Longg to stay with him, and went to her bedroom. She watched Kyo’s still form in the dim light for a few minutes. Long enough to see by his breathing that it was unlikely he was actually asleep.

She undressed and slid into bed, then grabbed Kyo by the shoulder and forcibly turned him over, moving to straddle him. He looked up at her, eyes wide with surprise. “Kaga— _ahhhhh_!” Speech failed him as his gaze lowered to her naked torso.

Before he could say more, she kissed him, hot and deep, and his hands splayed over her bare thighs.

“Kagami?” he asked, still shocked, when she finally broke the kiss.

“I love you,” she told him.

His expression shifted from shock to wonder to a slightly self-satisfied pleasure, and he moved his hands to her head, fingers sliding through her hair. “I love you, too.”

Kagami was done with hesitating.


End file.
